


The Price of Glory

by Mega_Erofan



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Character Study, Civil War, Contest Entry, Drama, Gen, Insight, NPC - Freeform, Reflection, Self-Reflection, War, Wordcount: Over 1.000, burdens, glory - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 17:20:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2629985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mega_Erofan/pseuds/Mega_Erofan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>General Tullius is none too keen about this civil war he has been caught up in and he only wishes to bring the country together once again even if Ulfric will fight him every step of the way before he submits. Perhaps all the struggle he has gone through until now has been for nothing as the potential conflict draws closer and bloodshed is inevitable. Step into the armor of the great General of the Imperial Legion and delve into the mind of a man with many questions about his morals but too much honor to make them vocal and ask yourself one thing: What is the true price of glory?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Price of Glory

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for an Evil NPC contest on DeviantArt. It won third place and had such amazing feedback that I decided to post it on here to see how it bodes here.
> 
> 4/11/15- Now with minor corrections

In times of war, many become heavy with the burden of their duties, to secure the protection of their comrades and their people, but what if the people you are trying to protect are also the ones you are fighting against? Some in this country consider me to be fueled by my own personal goals, others believe I have no goal but to abolish their way of life. I had no choice in the matter, it is the Thalmor that decided to remove Talos from the Divines and they had their reasons to. How can the people I am trying to protect blame me for something like this? I suppose it is because they needed a scapegoat of some kind to make a target for their anger. No one would dare speak ill of the Emperor nor would anyone speak against the Thalmor and risk being dragged off to their Embassy, never to be heard from or seen again. There was really no one else to pin the blame on at the time, other than me.

I tried to ignore the murmurs of gossip whenever I patrol the city and I blocked out the comments I heard whenever I ventured out of Haafingar hold. Even after the legendary Dragonborn decided to join our ranks, some still refused to see the Imperial Legion as a lawful force. They believed we tricked the Dragonborn into joining us to have an edge against Ulfric, use the most powerful user of The Voice against the one that used the same power to kill the High King. Even if I had meant to set up such an ironic way to defeat Ulfric it would have never been intentionally to spite the country and its people. I hoped having the Dragonborn on our side would bring honor and support to our cause. I guess some people never change.

It does not matter what they wish to believe as there will never be a right side to this civil war between the Stormcloaks and the Imperial Legion. The country of Skyrim is torn both ways between the two armies, almost down the middle it would seem with only a handful of people choosing to take no side at all in the interest of their own well-being and that of their family.

The Dragonborn came to us because it was for the good of the country to unite it under one banner and we were the only choice in the eyes of this hero that is considered to be a god among men. A noble goal but it would be far from easy to accomplish. Ahead of us are battles where not all of us will come back in one piece and some will never return. Those gruesome, senseless conflicts will leave the battlefield bloody and ourselves torn, physically and spiritually, as we ponder whether the side we chose was the right side all along or if we were suspending our doubts for the safety of the country and its people. I have had few regrets in my life for fighting for the Empire. I have given up almost everything to ensure the protection of the people of Skyrim before Ulfric overstepped his bounds and committed murder. An honorable fight they call it, what's honorable about using a power only few have ever mastered against a defenseless man? I am not the only one that has sacrificed many things for the good of the people. Many of my soldiers have left family from wherever they came from in order to serve the Empire, the Dragonborn has even given up the possibility of a peaceful life in order to help bring peace to the country itself. Even the best of us must sacrifice the simple things for the cause we support and that is no different for the legendary hero in our ranks. These sacrifices will not be in vain as we will give everything we have to ensure we win this war.

No matter how many must fall in order for our troops to rise, we will always stand by our comrades and remain loyal to the Empire. Ulfric could have a thousand men or ten-thousand men but the Legion will never give up for what we lack in our strength in numbers, we make up for in the strength of our loyalty. We will not rest until the country is at rest once again, until the word of civil war and Stormcloaks are but murmurs of a past best forgotten by some but are celebrated by others. Even with the dragons dominating the skies of Skyrim and the hidden threats across the lands that are only known through hushed words near the hearths of inns and taverns, the Empire will never fall and the Legion will never rest until the banners of the Stormcloaks have fallen and the Empire has united this land once again. It may be many months before this though as many battles, not only in the field but in our ranks and within ourselves, lie ahead on the path to victory. Whether we have the support of all the people or not is of no importance, we will fight for our cause because our honor calls for it. If we must die in order to have our cause be heard across Tamriel, then I will gladly fall in battle.

“General Tullius...” Hadvar's voice breaks through my thoughts and I look up from the map table to find him in the doorway to the war room. A familiar face clad in Imperial armor stands behind him, holding the legendary artifact Rikke's troop set out to retrieve a few days ago: The Jagged Crown. “We've come to give you the Jagged Crown we've retrieved from Korvanjund and are ready for our next assignment.”

I smile and sigh under my breath. The bloody battles I once feared are soon to arrive now that the Crown is in our possession. Once the message is delivered to Whiterun, there will be nothing keeping the Legion from clashing with the Stormcloaks any longer. The bloodshed will begin and so will the war.

“Good,” I murmur as I straighten myself behind the table “I have a message that needs to be delivered to Jarl Balgruff in Whiterun. I'm sure our new recruit can handle the task.” I place the envelope holding the message on the table and the Dragonborn hesitantly retrieves it. Our legendary hero is not very enthused about this task and I cannot blame the other either. The legend of the Dragonborn and the fate of Mundus on one's shoulders is enough to make anyone hesitant in their actions but this war is an entirely different experience even for a hero but for the sake of everyone, action must be taken. I know the message will reach Balgruff swiftly as long as The Dragonborn remains loyal to the cause. The only thing the Dragonborn hates more than violence is the death of innocents, so this war must be fought in order to prevent the future casualties of innocent citizens. The lives of many families, of children, mothers, and fathers, of blacksmiths, priests, and scholars, of noble warriors and cunning thieves alike, rest on the shoulders of the soldiers of war. We will proudly carry that burden because, like it or not, their protection is our responsibility and I intend to see it through to the bitter end, no matter how I must reach it.


End file.
